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Polycom unveils giant video conference system to rival Cisco

Unit starts from eye-watering $425,000

Polycom has announced a giant new video-conferencing tool that sees the firm take on Cisco’s TelePresence suite at the top end of the market. The system will start from a not inconsiderable $425,000.

The RealPresence Immersive Studio boasts top-of-the-range specs, with the firm touting it as a true “floor-to-ceiling” product that uses three 84in displays to create a giant video wall. It also has a 55in display on top that can be used to display documents during a meeting (as pictured).

The screens will offer video display quality of 1080p by using Ultra HD 4k displays. Audio is provided using Polycom’s existing 3D Voice technology. The whole product requires its own dedicated room, and the nine-seat version will cost $425,000.

A 21-seat version will cost $475,000, and Polycom's solutions product marketing manager Mayur Pitamber told V3 that while the up-front cost sounded high, on a per-seat basis it was cheaper than rival offerings in the market from Cisco.

Pitamber said the product would be the flagship addition to the firm’s range to help “take collaboration to the next level” as workers across business now recognise the benefits of video calls.

“Video is moving rapidly in terms of adaptation across the enterprise as people get used to using video on all types of devices, such as tablets and smartphones,” he said.

“However, following long or important calls on these devices is very tiring and makes it hard to concentrate, so the RealPresence Immersive Studio brings this to a full room to enhance collaboration and sharing.”

Pitamber said eight companies have already placed orders for the system having seen it under wraps, and the firm is confident that interest will grow.